Dancer Archive

There is much talk about what the function of our profession may be. To me, this is a loaded question. Because I never really had any doubt about what my fuction is. I just never put it into a post until now. Perhaps I never really felt the need, but when I read some of the posts about where we are going, it seems important to me to see where we are and what we were before.

It was natural to me at first. Indeed, I kind of "fell in" to entertainment, because I was originally a brawler on Intrepid. I picked up dancer in order to gain some sort of income on the side. Read it again, because you are not reading a mistake. I truly, TRULY believed that entertaining was a way to make income. Now today, if someone were to suggest that entertaining was a viable way to earn income, you'd be laughed out of Coronet. But I had the silly notion that if I just followed what the rulebook said, I'd make income from player tips.

Go back and read your original rulebook. Notice the simplicity of the game. No talk of player cities. No talk of guilds. No talk of repeating macros. No talk of buffs. PURE simplicity when looking at it today, and a whole lot of potential FUN. Imagine you were reading it for the first time, and how exiting and promising of fun and exitement you would have if you just committed to memory the simple dictates of Shug Ninx, your trusty galactic tour guide. That if you just obeyed its dictates, how you could have a welcome diversion from the everyday.

But back then, I was naiive. Indeed, we all were. And I truly believed what the rulebook said about an entertainer's income being based on player tips. But when I got to Tyrena, I saw many dancers and musicians there. Some were doing strange and beautiful dances with titles like "Enthraller" and "Master Dancer." Some were wearing pretty dresses and striking hi-cut teddy thingees (which I later discovered were called "fleshwraps"). So I said to myself, "I am but a tall, gangly, flat-chested novice dancer wearing cammos with a crew cut. How can someone like me earn tips with all these others here?"

I knew I had to do more than simply dance. Because my dances were ugly. My clothes were bland. What. What could I do to make people watch me so I can earn the tips that the rulebook says players should pay, and dancers should earn?

So I tried something. I saw a fellow walk in the door, and gave him a /wink. I said, "Come here often?" and I left it at that. Then, I saw flash across my screen, "Aeden tips you 100 credits." And little knowing at the time, I have taken the first, small step into what I would eventually become.

WOW! WHAT A FORTUNE! If I kept this up, I could buy the new sword I wanted on the bazaar for 300 credits so that maybe I could get those vrelts that I had left to kill. Who knows? Maybe if I worked REALLY hard here, I could earn enough to buy the dress that dancing girl is in. Or that skimpy teddy with the arm and leg wraps the Master Dancer is in. I asked the Master Dancer, "How much did that teddy cost?" She said, 6000 credits. 6000 Credits!?! How could anyone afford that?!?

I said to myself, "maybe I should come back later when these other girls and fellas aren't around? Or go somewhere else where they need a dancer? Then I will have all the customers to myself." Now imagine that? A novice entertainer WANTING to go where nobody else is performing? Sounds silly, no? But its what I did. And why? Because I needed the credits. Because I was too weak to go kill vrelts, and I needed some way to earn income. I said to myself, "Why can't I do this to earn credits?" And it was as simple as that.

But I was under no delusion that players would tip simply because they had to do so. I knew they could tip as little or as much as they wanted. So it dawned on me that in order to make sure I am tipped and tipped well, I had to give it all I had to the patron. I had to somehow persuade the patron to tip me, knowing full well that he could just as well watch the master dancer next to me doing that fiendishly naughty dance (exotic4) in the hi-cut panty and longline bra. She had it easy, darnit!

So I tried. I tried to get to the patrons as soon as they walked in the door. I tried to write some witty (and oftentimes corny and/or tasteless) pick up line so they'd watch me first. Because I just simply KNEW that if I could just get that Fleshwrap, and do the "naughty dance" I'd be set! That is, until I learned that these things are merely tools that have aspecific function depending on the needs of the moment.

Moreover, I knew that I couldn't just rest on my newly acquired dances and clothes, because I always knew there were other girls coming up wanting the tips too. But you know what? I always knew that if I ever became bored or if the patrons just were not tipping or around, I could leave. I could do other things. Maybe tag along on a virtual "date" with the good looking guy who said he was doing missions. We could go camping, catch fish, and kill vrelts. Maybe I could hang around the bank, and see what's going on there.

Because after playing this simulation enough, your character starts to take a life of its own, and it becomes you, and you it. Obviously, Sirii had to come from somewhere. And her tastes became a combination of what I brought to her, and what I experienced whilst playing her. She started to develop opinions about species, planets, PAs, clothes, and politics. The more I played and experienced the game world, the more developed her personality became. I started using these things in her cantina performance: like giving fashion tips, or giving "her take" on Imperial policy.

And then I started getting comments like "Wow, Sirii. You are great!," and "You are my favorite dancer, Sirii." And though I was flattered by such commentary, I found it strange. Because in my mind, I never really did anything that I found really all that special. How else could one be a dancer and not do everything they could to draw your attention? How else could one be a dancer and not care about getting tipped for their time, knowing full well that the patron could just as easily not watch you as to watch you, or not tip you as opposed to tip you? How else could one justify spending time in the cantina if not to receive the rewards of such time? And how can a dancer not feel the need to use every manner of tool--from the dance, to the clothes, to the effects, to the banter--in order to give the patron every reason to tip you and watch you?

Because I honestly never thought for a moment that entertainment in this simulation was anything different than what I have done all along. I never thought for one moment that there would be reasons to do this class other than to find a way to gain the attention of the patrons. And I never thought for one moment that anyone that would find what I do difficult or boring would do it. There are much easier ways to earn credits than dancing.

In fact, dancing is the hardest way I know to make credits. Because the crafter can simply name his price. The slicer receive payment before services rendered. Our payment is based on the subjective opinions of others as to the quality of our performance. And there is no way to really objectively quantify that. And even if there was in terms of the game mechanics, the game mechanics of what we do can be done by pretty much any dancer. But I know that what I do is worth something. Because if it wasn't, then why am I getting tipped at all?

And after spending a great deal of time in cantinas, let me tell you what I have found: the cantina is a boring place. And I'm not convinced that this was because of a lack of vision by the developers. Rather, I am convinced that the developers made it boring for a reason. Because they have left it up to us to make it more exiting. And I realize now that by doing the things I have done all along; those things that came so naturally, those things that were clear in the rulebook and in truth, that I have made the cantina more exiting than mere grey walls. The natural incentives of player tips, when working correctly, have the effect of creating a better, more exiting environment. And while my motivation was simply to earn some extra credits, I ended up doing much more than I would have ever expected: I have done what the developers had intended all along for entertainment to be about in this game. I have filled the space that they left empty for us and filled it with something of my own creation. I have utilized the tools that the developers gave me to make the cantina more exiting. And most importantly, I have discovered that the most important component of entertaining comes not from the system mechanics, but from the player who plays the dancer.

And I invite you dancers who seem frustrated about the apparent enormity of the profession at stake: unattendedness, combat rebalances, theme parks, self-buffs, and other complex issues to take a step back, read the rulebook, and ponder the notion of how simple the profession really is. You go to a cantina. You give the patrons a show. And if they are amused, they will tip you.

Madame Sirii Ajaan
August 2003-September 15, 2005
"There is a difference between being /watched and being WATCHED."

Ub-ick Esava
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Bria - Working towards Master Dancer one fall at a time

Lowca - Master Dancer Extraordinaire
*CENSORS* Cantina, Honor's Keep, Corellia,

¯¯¯¯K'vera Leann Ni-Sti¯¯¯¯
Founder of Eclipse's longest running band - TALUS MOON - Soul of Eclipse
Co-Founder of TIRIUS - City of Roleplayers
: Miss Talus 2003 : Miss August in the Galaxy Girls calendar 2004 :
: Eclipse Player City Directory : TREASURER'S TOOL v1.0.7b updated 22nd Mar 2005 :

Great post, Sirii. Even though I think we seem to be at opposite viewpoints in regards to out game mechanics and buffing capabilities, I do agree with most of what you say here, and it's beautifully put.

I am a firm believer that dancers really do have a lot of options at their disposal. I love performing. I do get a good deal of tips, despite the fact that I'm male. I truly like to believe that it's because I actually perform where so many others don't. I actually have a *job* as an entertainer. I regularly perform shows and take in 50K a gig. It's great, and I love it! And, any entertainer that is a real entertainer at heart and not doing it just for the mechanics or just for the jedi grind can get to a point where they're making this kind of money regularly. It's not impossible. If you really love what you're doing, it can be done.

Having said that, I still fundamentally believe that we need and deserve a game mechanical place in the SWG universe that guarantees us an income by providing a service that people are eager and willing to pay for because they *need* it or want it greatly.

But, I'm not going to taint this post with a disagreement, because what you said is quite true and wonderful.

Sirii, you made me think back to when I first became involved in this game. I had just been accepted into Beta 3A and finished the horrendous download. I logged on and created my first character, a Bothan Scout. I have always been kind of adventurous and figured that scout would be the way to go with that. I did everything on my own...Just the manual (such as it was back then. heh) to help me. I learned how to hunt, harvest, camp, pull missions and equip myself without any help...The perfect scout..Self sufficient. (Damn, those equipment terminals were handy. heh)

Well, after a few hours of getting beat up, I decided I needed a break and wanted to explore the City of Coronet a bit. I pulled up the map and went to the Cantina. I walked in and found a small 3-piece band and 1 dancer there. I sat there for about an hour just watching and listening. The music was great and the dance was mesmerizing....Especially seeing as how the dancer was dancing with a sword (and it wasn't necessary to keep from falling, either.)

After the player wipe about a week later, I created my entertainer, Ospehi. I spent about a week in Coronet before I got bored with the scene there and needed some breathing space. I found myself in Tyrena next and was the only dancer for about 2 days before others started showing up. In a few days, the wanderlust struck me again, and this time, I was in Moenia. Before long, another move and I found myself in (of all places for a dancer with a strong attachment to the Empire) Anchorhead.

The group there was so fun! When we had a crowd watching, we would entertain them. When there was no crowd, we entertained ourselves. But, from start to finish, with all the people there, it was fun. I looked forward to logging on....And I dreaded when I would have to log off.

What has happened? When I got SWG for Christmas and no longer had an excuse, I created my entertainer, Danaea, and hooked back up with Nosmina and Chataka, two good friends from beta. I got the usual starter stuff from them (house, bike, ton of clothes heh) and began my career. I revisited Coronet and was absolutely appalled at what I saw there. I went to Tyrena and Moenia and was met with ghost towns. Theed struck me with the same disgust as Coronet did.

Maybe we should revitalize the ghost towns on the various planets until the end of the holocron era. Make places like Tyrena, Moenia, and (to a lesser degree) Anchorhead the fun places they used to be. On Starsider, they have tried to do that with Mos Eisley...but that's just one town. I won't soon forget the response I got when I found myself hunting on Lok for a while and was dancing in the cantina in Nym's Stronghold to heal up and such, and got one of the warmest welcomes I have ever gotten, just for being there. If you want appreciation for what you do, go to Dathomir, Yavin, Endor....Perform in the cantina there. The cash may or may not be great (I could get some really good tips on Dathomir), but you have what usually turns out to be a captive audience and, more importantly, a very appreciative one as well.

Danaea V'Anar - Alliance Clandestine Procurement Specialist
Kynara - Alliance Military Intelligence Operative

West Anchorhead Community (WAH) - Starsider

Bleh....I hate not having an edit or delete option. *sigh*

Pardon the double.

Danaea V'Anar - Alliance Clandestine Procurement Specialist
Kynara - Alliance Military Intelligence Operative

West Anchorhead Community (WAH) - Starsider